My husband and the 40th president headed sister theatrical unions at the same time. Reagan, president of SAG, Screen Actors Guild, had the actors; Joey, president of AGVA, American Guild of Variety Artists, had the performers.

They were friends. I heard stories. Like Labor Secretary Ray Donovan on one knee fixing a shoelace when his boss ambled in. Grinned the chief of state: “Not necessary. When you see me, a mere curtsy will do.”

1980. He’d just been elected and we were in communist Poland. Because Joey had his unlisted home number, he grabbed our hotel phone to call congratulations. No operator. He tried again. No response. No voice. No nothing. The line was dead. Eventually uprooting the manager, he complained the telephone’s broken and it’s imperative he call America. California.

Bill O’Reilly’s “Killing Reagan: The Violent Assault That Changed a Presidency” is a terrific read. Even for those who didn’t know the players, you can’t put it down. I ate it up in one day.

Barbara fancies Brad

For the 22nd year Barbara Walters does her year-end ABC-TV special, “10 Most Fascinating People.” Collaborating will be her longtime producer and friend, Bill Geddie, who had been working in California. Among the first Most Fascinating to make the cut is Bradley Cooper . . . ­

Gwyneth Paltrow, if she could change places with any celebrity: “Christiane Amanpour. I think she’s totally punk rock. Brilliant, sexy and so cool” . . .

Bringing down the house

Kelli O’Hara, Ken Watanabe’s co-star in “The King and I” and now part of MSG’s papal festivities: “Working with these different cultures you learn to respect their way of life. Scary part is stepping over boundaries” . . .

Pope to deli

A rumor. Unsubstantiated. No way to confirm. Friday night, after Madison Square Garden, His Holiness could visit the 2nd Ave Deli, 75th and First Avenue??!! One of those in charge called to say: “It’s Yom Kippur. Jewish High Holy Day. Jewish New Year. Our holiest period. This pope believes in protecting all religions.”

How’s it possible? The 2nd Ave Deli? And nobody knows about this? “We only know we got a communication from the State Department.”

It’s Yom Kippur. A holy day. I wish everyone a healthy New Year. See you Monday.

In a Williamsburg food store: “Dumb? She saw a sign in front of a YMCA and thought Macy’s was misspelled.”